


Take a Walk on the Wild Side

by Ozymanreis



Series: Tumblr Drabbles [4]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Break Away, Eastern Europe, His Last Vow Spoilers, M/M, Moral Ambiguity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-22
Updated: 2014-05-22
Packaged: 2018-01-26 02:04:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1670675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ozymanreis/pseuds/Ozymanreis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Hello, sexy." A melodious tenor greets his ears. Suddenly, Sherlock is very confused, snapping his head up to make sure his brain isn't playing tricks on him. Sure enough, there he sits, upon a smoky iron-cast throne: James Moriarty.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take a Walk on the Wild Side

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt #6: Break Away

_This is it. It's over._ Sherlock is being dragged down a dark hallway by two giants of men, somewhere in Romania. Or, at least, he assumes he's still in Romania. The last time he was conscious, he was at a peace negotiations meeting in Bucharest. From there, it's all a gray haze, _Six months on the button. Well done, brother._

Yes, Mycroft had given his younger brother half a year to live on this mission, and he was never wrong about these affairs. But it was the kindest thing he could do — it was this or a life in prison. And he knew how Sherlock hated being bored. Still, the detective couldn't find it in himself to feel remorse over killing Magnussen. 

Being kicked into a larger room, composed of large stone bricks, with bars in the windows, Sherlock wonders if he's been taken to a torture chamber. But his head is being forced down, so his range of vision is quite limited. He sees several sets of feet, suggesting there were more lackeys peppering the room, _Chances of escape… slim._ Thrown onto his knees, the two thugs stretch his arms out in either direction so he cannot squirm away.

 _Seems I've been taken to be judged… perhaps their leader might be amenable to a bribe, or ransom…_ despair fills Sherlock's head as he realizes with dejection, _except my brother won't be coming to my rescue this time._ Bracing himself to be beaten or killed, Sherlock tries to block out the sounds of chains and scimitars gently rattling in the foreground. 

"Hello, sexy." A melodious tenor greets his ears. Suddenly, Sherlock is _very_ confused, snapping his head up to make sure his brain isn't playing tricks on him. Sure enough, there he sits, upon a smoky iron-cast throne: James Moriarty. 

"Did you miss me?" Moriarty asks, face propped up against his fist, looking almost bored. 

"Moriarty — !"

"Yes, yes, 'alive'; 'wow'; 'it's a miracle!' I've heard it all before."

"Why am I here?" 

"Because you lost your little game…" 

"Jim, I'm serious."

"Droll, you're always so to-the-point. Well, fine: my men captured you, but those poor saps didn't know who you were." Jim tutted, "When they described you… well, I told them to hold off on the execution."

"What do you want with me?"

"Sherlock, I don't think you understand what's going on here… I'm saving your life."

"You've been watching me?" 

"But of course. I so love to watch you dance…"

"What do you know?"

"I know your brother offered you a suicide mission to substitute for a life sentence… how _like_ you it would be to pick quick _death_ over prolonged _boredom_. Funny enough, I'm offering you the same choice." 

"Those are my options, then? Allow these fine gentlemen to dismember me, or… join you?" Sherlock has a moment of clarity: it's all been leading up to this. Moriarty had secretly wanted this all along, but when it looked like Sherlock wouldn't convert… he disappeared. _Quite an elaborate plan, if this is truly what it was…_

"Oh, honey, you're free to go." Jim waves a dismissive hand, "I wouldn't want you _against_ your will. No, you'd constantly be plotting your escape."

Moriarty stands up, and shoos the men holding Sherlock out of the room. Then the rest of his idling henchmen, until the two of them are alone. Jim offers Sherlock a hand to help him off his knees. Sherlock takes it warily, but doesn't make to run away, "Go on." 

Hoisting him up, Jim smiles at his curiosity, "The Iceman bestowed upon you a _death_ _sentence_. Even though you've surpassed the estimated time of arrival, you still need to fulfill it. If you keep playing by his rules… you'll never get out alive." He lets go of Sherlock's hand and dusts him off, "But your friendly knight-in-shining-armor is gifting you a way out. A chance to break away from all of that nasty bureaucracy. Think of it as a token of my affections." Jim bows theatrically. 

"And what have I done to earn your affections?" Sherlock's interest is actually keen — he'd never given much thought to being on Jim's side of the field, but seeing as Mycroft was now making it impossible to stay on the side of the angels… 

"Killing that vile slime, of course!" Moriarty crinkled his nose in disgust, "Typical of your brother to not see the value in taking that revolting lout out of the picture. He just doesn't understand that there's a difference between _classy evil_ and just plain _rude_. Besides," his face lights up, "I did so _love_ seeing you act so morally ambiguously… I always knew you had the potential to be _great_."

"Murder is great?"

"No, silly. Murder is _easy_. No, doing what _needs_ to be done, regardless of consequence, is great. Because now you're free."

Sherlock says nothing. He could take the offer to run away, but where would he go? _I could make a new life. But I'd have to stay completely off the radar, lest England realize I've gotten away… then I'm just a fugitive… but with Jim… I could disappear too. No one would need to know I survived my internment. Still a fugitive, but I would have room to breathe… he's got a brilliant protective detail, and no shortage of entertainment…_

"Come on, honey." Jim smirks, knowing he's won the crusade, "Take a walk on the wild side." 

Sherlock stifles a grin, taking Moriarty's hand. 

**Author's Note:**

> Update to come! :)


End file.
